The passerby who discovered musician Glen Hansard following a fatal road collision in Co. Dublin has shared his account of the traumatic event on social media. In a lengthy Facebook post, he described finding the 56-year-old in the early hours of July 29 and urged the public to respect the family's privacy.
What happened that morning
Glen Hansard, the frontman of The Frames, was involved in a motorcycle crash at Lower Road, Strawberry Beds, Luncan, between Tinkers Hill (R121) and Rugged Lane at 4.30am. He was treated at the scene but later pronounced dead. Investigators believe he lost control of his bike after it struck a soft roadside verge on his way home.
Sources told The Irish Mirror that Gardaí suspect the 56-year-old sustained catastrophic injuries when his motorbike overturned. An insider said: "He did not collide with a tree or anything like that. The belief is that the bike hit a soft verge on the road, and that made him lose control of the vehicle. It then flipped over."
The rescuer's emotional tribute
The man who found him wrote on Facebook: "I passed by the very spot at the exact time this morning, heading to work, where flowers are now lying, where I came across a person in need of help last week. I didn't know this man personally; he was a husband, a father, a brother, an uncle, a person, a human."
He continued: "And at that moment in the darkness of early morning, I had no idea it was Glen. I did what anyone else would have done for someone in trouble, just like I would hope someone would do for me if I were in trouble."
The passerby expressed gratitude to Hansard's family, especially Caroline, for allowing him to attend the funeral mass, and to John Carney, a close friend, for making him feel welcome. He said he has found "some closure to a terrible tragedy" and stressed: "People need to let the man rest and let his family grieve."
He also addressed media interest, writing: "I was contacted this morning about selling my story. Let it be clear, there is no story to be sold, so no one contact me, as I won't be replying." He concluded: "After battling with the could haves and what ifs, I have now accepted that I did all I could have possibly done on that morning. Sending love and light to his family, may he rest in peace."
Fans show support
Supportive messages flooded the comments, with one user writing: "You were there, mate, when somebody, a stranger, needed you most. That's the most important thing in life, pal. To be there for each other in the good times and the bad."
Another commented: "Fair Play, you did all you could do, and you were there for him. That's all anyone could ask for, and I'd say his loved ones take comfort knowing that." A third added: "You were the hero he needed that morning, and for whatever reason, you were placed there at that difficult time."
